These projects will provide sustainable, low carbon heat to 17,000 new homes, commercial spaces, and public buildings. Expected to save over 385,000 tonnes of CO2, these networks will help to ensure that future-proofed urban developments lead the way in sustainable living.
Demonstrating the UK’s commitment to modernising its urban areas for resilience, sustainability and future regulations, the investment will help to deliver the Government’s mission of clean power by 2030 and accelerate plans towards net zero.
Heat networks present a fantastic opportunity to expand access to low carbon heating and provide a cost-effective solution for decarbonising dense urban areas. The funding will also help new developments to meet mandated requirements under the Future Homes and Buildings Standard, as the Government seeks to improve the energy efficiency of new buildings. By using a range of innovative low carbon heat sources, these networks will ensure that new residents benefit from reduced heating bills and lower carbon footprints.
Today, GHNF is providing over £57 million to support the commercialisation and construction of five heat network projects connecting to major developments:
- Leeds will be awarded £24.5 million for an extension to the LeedsPIPES network. The South Bank extension, located in one of Europe’s largest brownfield regeneration sites, will allow an additional 8,000 homes and buildings to connect to the low carbon heat network, powered using a local source of waste heat.
- Three projects across London will receive £20.2 million to connect 8,500 new homes and businesses across new developments to low carbon heat networks powered by air and ground source heat pumps. This includes the vibrant Clapham Park and Brent Cross town developments. In Hammersmith and Fulham, the West King Street project will decarbonise their Grade-II listed Town Hall alongside new homes.
- Barnsley will receive £12.6 million of commercialisation and construction funding for a multi-source heat pump network to decarbonise heating across a range of existing businesses and public sector buildings. The project also plans to explore the capture of waste heat from a nearby industrial manufacturing plant as the network expands and densifies.
Minister for Energy Consumers, Miatta Fahnbulleh, said: “Building new, greener heat networks is just one of the ways we are investing in clean power, helping to finally secure our country’s energy independence.
“These exciting new projects will see thousands of homes and businesses benefit from cleaner, low-cost heating – leading to lower energy bills and creating hundreds of jobs.”
Ken Hunnisett, Programme Director, said: “The Green Heat Network Fund, like the Heat Networks Investment Project before it, has helped to prove the technical and commercial efficacy of district heating in a variety of different use cases. The projects announced today are a reminder that modern heat networks are at their brilliant best in our large, densely built towns and cities.
“The £57 million investment announced today is great news for the Fund, great news for the 17,000 homes and buildings that will benefit from low-carbon, low-cost heating, great news for an industry that is growing almost before our eyes, and great news for the planet.
“It’s a relative drop in the ocean of course when you consider the £80 billion the sector is forecast to require if it is to fulfil its enormous potential.”
The Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) is a capital grant programme that opened to applicants in the spring of 2022. Initially a £288m fund, further funding has since been provided to support organisations in the public, private, and third sectors, offering commercialisation and construction funding for heat network projects in England.
Image credit: Triple Point Heat Networks Communications.